Game apparatus.



No. 7l5, 5l5. Pate'nted-De c. 9, I902 U. H. SCHENCK.

eAm; APPARATUS.

(Application filed Jan. 6, 1902.) (No Model.)

M'Lnessesr fyzvgrzfor UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

UNICO H. \V. SOHENCK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HOMER W. HEDGE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,515, dated December 9, 1902.

application filed January 6, 1902 Serial No. 88,591. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, UNICO H. W. SoHENcK, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

, My invention relates to game apparatus, and its object is to construct a simple apparatus adapted tocontain a number of dice and also adapted to be operated with any selected number of the dice contained in the apparatus. In apparatus heretofore in use a number of dice have been contained in one receptacle and by movement of the receptacle all of the dice contained therein are shaken; but such devices cannot be manipulated without shaking all of the dice. I propose to provide means whereby any one or more of the dice may be locked or otherwise prevented from being shaken, thereby permitting the apparatus to be used in playing different games.

The invention will be described more in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front view of an apparatus embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a side sectional View of the same.

In the drawings, 1 represents a suitable stand or pedestal of sufiicient size and weight to insure necessary stability. 'A circular bedplate 2, having an outwardly projecting flange or rim 3, upon which is mounted a faceplate 4, of glass, is centrally pivoted upon the pedestal 1 by suitable pivot-pin 5. The receptacle formed by the bed-plate 2, the flange 3, and the face-plate 4 is therefore rotatable upon the pivot-pin 5. The pivot will be so arranged that the receptacle will lie in a plane slightly angular from the vertical, thereby permitting the receptacle to be freely spun upon its pivot, permitting the dice to gravirate to the lower end of the receptacle and also permitting the player to readily observe the position of the dice. At one dge of the receptacle the glass 4 is cut away, an in the cut-away portion a metallic or other su' able weighted segment 6 is supplied.

A plurality of strips 7 are mounted in the bed-plate 2 of the receptacle, their lower edges being preferably fitted into grooves formed in the bed-plate, as shown in Fig. 2. These strips are arranged to provide a plurality of concentrically-arranged tracks between the strips, the strips and tracks all leading into the side of the receptacle beneath the plate 6. The strips are placed sufiicientlvfar ap'art to permit one die to freely roll in a track formed between the two strips. Obviously any desired number of tracks maybe provided and any. desired nu1nber of dice thereby operated in the apparatus. In the plate 6 immediately over each track and in the bed-plate 2 immediately under each track is formed an opening, through which projects a rod 8. Each of the rods 8 carries a holder 9, which when the rod is pressed to its lowermost position, as shown in Fig. 2, lies flush with the bed -plate 2, and therefore the die will roll into the holder. A spring 10', held in place by a disk 11, impinges against the 'lower end of the holder 9 and tends to force the same and the rod 8 upward. Rod 8 is provided with a notch 12, which when the rod is pressed downward is adapted to engage the plate 6. When the rod is pushed sidewise to disengage the notch from the plate, the spring 10 forces the rod and holder up until the die meets the plate 6 or plate 4, and the spring then clamps, the die against the front plate, thereby preventing it from rolling in its track.

In order to economize space as far as possible, I divide the concentric tracks into two parts by erecting posts 13 13 in the center of the tracks, thus permitting the dice to travel only as far as the post and back again. In order to prevent the dice from sliding in the tracks, I provide the projections 14 14, which projections will insure the turning of the dice.

7 It will be understood, of course, that the receptacle may be of any desired shape and that the tracks need not necessarily be concentric,

but may be arranged in any convenient manpressed downward and locked by moving the rods sidewise, so that the notches 12 will ongage the plate 6. All of the dice will then be free to roll in the tracks. The receptacle is then spun upon the pivot 5, and the weight of the plate 6, of such size and weight as may be located at the ends of the tracks, will cause the receptacle to finally stop in such position that the ends of the tracks will be in the lowermost position, as shown in Fig. 2. While the receptacle is spinning around the dice will by gravity move downward in the tracks to the posts 13 and then back to the-plate, the projections 14 causing the dice to turn meanwhile.

If the game to be played requires only one or any selected number of dice, it is only necessary to release the rod 8 and permit the spring 10 to clamp such dice as are not to be used against the front plate. When the receptacle is then rotated, only such dice as are not clamped will be shaken.

It will be understood that the construction above described may be modified in various respects without departingfrom theinvention, and I therefore do not limit myself to the precise construction shown. Itwill also be understood that the word die or dice, as herein used is intended to include any suitable body which may be used in the apparatus for the playing of games. Furthermore, itisunnecessary to cause the receptacle to make a com plete revolution in shaking the dice,and therefore instead of weighting one side of the receptacle to cause it to stop in proper position a spring or other suitable means may be employed for the purpose, and, in fact, the receptacle may be agitated in any convenient manner, either upon or independent of the pedestal.

Having thus described my invention, I declare that what I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a receptacle containing a plurality of dice, means for permitting the dice to be shaken therein, and means for preventing any selected number of said dice from being shaken,substantially as described.

2. The combination of a receptacle containing a plurality of dice, means for permitting the dice to be shaken therein, and means for clampinganyselected numberofsaid dice and thereby preventing the same from being shaken, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a receptacle having a plurality of tracks, a die inclosed in each of said tracks, and means for permitting said receptacle to be rotated, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a receptacle, a plurality of tracks in said receptacle, a die inclosed in each of said tracks, means for permitting said receptacle to be rotated upon a central pivot, and a weight carried by said receptacle at the side adjacent to the ends of said track, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a receptacle, a plurality of tracks therein, a die in each of said tracks, a clamping device in each of said tracks adapted to clamp the dice therein, and means for permitting said receptacle to be agitated, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a receptacle, a plurality of tracks therein, a die in each of said tracks, a projection in each of the said tracks adapted to cause the dice in said tracks to be rolled, and means for permitting said receptacle to be agitated,substantiallyas described.

7. The combination of a receptacle, a plurality of tracks therein, a die in each of said tracks, a projection in each of said tracks, means for permitting said receptacle to be rotated and a weight carried by said receptacle at the ends of said tracks, substantially as described.

8. The combination of a receptacle, a plurality of tracks in said receptacle, a die inclosed in each of said tracks, and means for permitting said receptacle to be rotated upon a central pivot, substantially as described.

9. The combination of a circular receptacle, a plurality of concentric tracks in said receptacle, each of said tracks leading to a common side of the receptacle, a weight carried by said receptacle at the side toward which said tracks lead, and a die in each of said tracks, substantially as described.

10. The combination of a circular receptacle, a plurality of concentric tracks in said receptacle, each of said tracks leading to a common side of the receptacle, a Weight carried by said receptacle at the side toward which said tracks lead, a die in each of said tracks, and means for locking each of said dice to preventits beingshaken,substantially as described.

11. The combination of a receptacle, a plurality of tracks in said receptacle, a die inclosed in each of said tracks, and means for permitting said receptacle to be rotated in a plane at an angle to the horizontal, substantially as described.

12. The combination of a receptacle containing a plurality of dice adapted to be shaken therein, and means for preventing any selected number of said dice from being shaken, substantially as described.

13. The combination of a receptacle adapted to be agitated, a plurality of tracks in said receptacle, and a die inclosed in each of said tracks adapted to move freely therein, substantially as described.

14:. The combination of a receptacle, a pedestal or other suitable holder upon which said receptacle is movably mounted, a plurality of tracks in said receptacle, and a die inclosed in each of said tracks free to move therein, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

UNICO H. W. SOHENOK.

iVitnesses:

G. V. EDWARDS, RALPH JONAS. 

